The Possibility of Believing
by TryingNormal
Summary: It's been centuries since Wendy Darling; the girl who stole his heart. It's been decades since Jane Darling; who reminded him what love really was. It's been years since Margaret Darling; who promised to always be there. Now there's Charlotte Darling; the girl of the 21st Century. But what if Peter comes back and he's not the same boy anymore? What if he's stopped believing?
1. chapter one

The second star to the right, the brightest star in the sky.

Beyond the trees, the birds and the clouds, you'll find a wonderful place.

And that wonderful place . . . is called Neverland.

Neverland, the magical place where No One Grows Up.

The place where you'll find Captain Hook and Mister Smee on the Jolly Roger, trying to fool that dastardly Tick-Tick Croc.

Where you'll find Tiger Lily and the Indians, making camp up in the mountains.

Where you'll find Tinkerbell and the fairies, hiding safely in the Home Tree.

Where you'll find the Lost Boys, playing tricks to try and outsmart each other.

And where you'll find Peter Pan, The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up,

Waiting for the next Darling who'll steal his heart . . . and the one who'll grow up with it.

* * *

**Chapter One**

_What was that?_

The flash of green out of the corner of his eye caught Peter off guard and he turned slightly on his motorcycle to see someone dressed like . . . well . . . like him. Brown pointy shoes, light green tights, dark green tunic, brown leather belt around the waist, and a pointy green hat with a red feather tucked into it. Well, this was how he used to dress, of course; Jeans, t-shirts, sneakers, his leather jacket and a green knit cap to hide his ears were more his style now.

He stared at the girl on the pedal bike, pumping her legs as she raced faster and faster toward him. Her bright, intelligent green eyes kept darting up to look at ol' Big Ben and a sudden tingle went down his spine. He recognized those eyes, he actually recognized them. But the point was, where had he seen them? Surely, in all his time in London, after every girl, he would've remembered a girl with those eyes.

A smiling face with bright green eyes suddenly flashed in his mind and he gasped. Margaret! That's who those eyes reminded him of! Jane's daughter, Margaret Darling.

Then, as the green-eyed girl raced past him on her bike, he saw the hilt of a wooden sword and a Peter Pan doll sticking out from her backpack, and he knew, he just _knew_ that he had to follow her.

* * *

"Yo, Darling, hurry up! The kids are gettin' antsy!"

Seventeen-year-old Charlotte Jane Darling quickly hopped off her bike and practically threw it onto the sidewalk as she raced for the 2,500 square-foot library's doors. She tossed her jacket and bike lock at her friend Donovan and shouted: "Lock up for me, will ya? I'll get the kids started!"

"Will do, Char! Hurry!" he replied, his pirate hat almost slipping off his head as he bent down to retrieve her bike.

Charlotte raced through the doors just as she heard the rumble of an engine cut off behind her and she dropped her bag down by one the bookshelves, making sure none of the kids could see her. Digging her hand into the bag, she pulled out the sword and her treasured Peter doll, then crouched down low to make her way behind the group of seated children.

"Avast ye scurvy dogs!" she suddenly shouted, jumping out from behind the bookshelf and brandishing her wooden sword high; every kid turned to look at her. "Who today is ready for another wonderful tale from Neverland?"

The kids shouted out, some raising their hands and others jumping up and down to get a better look.

"Right!" she said with a smile, moving toward the front of the room where the stage was set. "But first, who gets ta be the brave Lost Kid tha' gets ta keep Mini Pan safe from harm today, huh?"

Several kids raised their hands, bouncing in their seats, but a small girl in the back caught her eye.

"May! How 'bout you?" she said happily, and the girl's head jerked up to stare at her. A couple of kids protested but Charlotte quickly shushed them. "A lot of ya have had your turn as Lost Kid, now it's May's."

"But she's a girl," several boy's protested as she handed the doll over to May, who hugged it protectively to her chest.

"What does it matter if May's a girl?" she asked them. "Actually, who here remembers how many Lost Girls I've had in Neverland?"

A throat suddenly cleared and a deep voice said, "Only one."

Charlotte spun around and her eyes narrowed at the boy in the leather jacket and green knit cap leaning up against one of the bookshelves. "Alright, Mr. Bigshot, since you're so keen on no' lettin' one ah the kids answer . . . Can ya tell me the name of tha' particular Lost Girl?"

"Her name was Jane," he replied with a smirk. "But she almost didn't become an official Lost Girl because she sold Peter and the Boys out to Hook so she could get home."

"Yeah," Charlotte said, "but she didn't really mean it. She wanted ta get home to her family because she couldn't fly an' Hook said he could take her home in the Jolly Roger. She was focused on getting back to her family because of the war going on outside her front door."

"The only reason Jane couldn't fly was because she didn't believe. She almost killed Tink by causing her light go out."

Charlotte's eyes narrowed at the boy. "And how do ya know that?"

The boy shrugged. "Contrary to popular belief, you're not the only one who has their fair share of Peter Pan stories."

"Peter's _never_ taken boys to Neverland," she retorted angrily.

"John and Michael, Wendy's brothers." He raised an eyebrow when her jaw dropped and his smirk widened as he shook his head. "Forgot didn't you? Silly girl."

Charlotte slowly dropped the hand holding the sword to her side. He was right. He was right. How in God's name had she forgotten one of the most important details of the most famous of all Peter stories? Peter _had_ taken her great grandmother Wendy's brothers to Neverland, not just Wendy herslf. Stupid, stupid, stupid! How could she be so stupid?

The boy suddenly came forward and stuck out his hand. "My name's Peter, by the way. And you?"

She raised an eyebrow at him as she shook his hand. "Charlotte, but everyone calls me-"

"Char!" Donovan exclaimed, coming around the corner in his Hook garb."What're you doin'? We've gotta get started!"

Charlotte, being the great story-teller that she was, immediately sprung into action and brandished her wooden sword at her best friend. "Look! It's that dastardly codfish Captain Hook!" She raced away from the Peter boy to jump onto the nearest table. "Prepare yourself, Hook, for I've brought a little surprise for ya. Oh, Octo! Come're boy!"

Completely out of nowhere, a girl in an orange octopus costume jumped out from behind a bookcase, making clicking noises with her tongue.

"Ah!" Donovan cried, scrambling to get onto another table. "It's the octopus again! After I'd gotten rid of that damned Tic-Tock Croc surely-Smee! Smee! Where ah ye?"

A cubby boy wearing glasses, a red cap, and a blue and white t-shirt came barreling around the corner with several other boys dressed as pirates. "Cap'n, Cap'n, Peter Pan has taken our treasure again!"

"You swine, Pan!" Donovan cried, waving his hook hand in the air.

"That treasure never belonged ta ya in the first place!" Charlotte shouted. "It belongs to Tiger Lily an' the Indians, ya old codfish!"

A small girl about the age of fifteen with long black hair and reddish skin dressed in Indian garb came around the corner with feathers in her hair.

"Tiger Lily, Tiger Lily!" Charlotte cried happily when she saw the girl. "I've gotten your treasure back!"

Tiger Lily clapped her hands and smiled.

Charlotte's eyes roved around room until Peter's eyes caught hers. He winked and her breath caught.

* * *

Gosh did this girl, with her outrageous story-telling, remind him of Wendy.

He watched for an hour as this Charlotte girl dashed around the library, the kids jumping up from their seats to follow as 'Peter' and 'Hook' moved their fight scene to the lobby of the library. He watched as the light of magic filled the kids eyes and his heart ached at the thought of how much Wendy would've loved to see this. To see her Peter stories carried down through generations to be told for everyone to hear. Jane would've loved this, too, and Margaret especially. Vaguely, he wondered if Molly was still alive, and it brought forth a thought that if this girl, this Char, was the girl he'd been looking for, he would be able to go back to Never Never with Tink and the Lost Boys in the Spring. That if this girl was a Darling, he'd be able to return home.

Soon after the fight, there was a great applause and he snapped back from his thoughts just in time to clap for Charlotte and her friends as they bowed before the kids and their rapidly appearing parents. May, the girl Charlotte had entrusted in keeping the Peter doll safe, bounded up to her and said goodbye with a hug before returning the doll. Charlotte smiled broadly, her green eyes sparkling, and Peter was once again reminded of Margaret.

His eyes flicked toward the clock on the wall and he cursed under his breath. He had to get back to The Hideout before the Lost Boys got worried. He strode quickly over toward the door, but his name being called behind him made him stop in his tracks and he turned. It was Charlotte, pulling the green hat off her head and untying her hair to allow a cascade of orange, wavy locks tumble down to her shoulders. His heart started to beat faster at the sight.

"Peter, wait a second!" she cried, skidding to a halt in front of him, and brushed her bangs out of her eyes as she tried to catch her breath.

He raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"I-" She blushed, tugging at her green leotard. "I, uh, I wanted ta talk to ya."

"About what?"

"How-how did ya know all about Jane?"

"I told you, I've got my fair share of Peter Pan stores just like you do."

"But how?" she asked. "Not a lot of people know tha' much abou' the Peter stories unless they're part ah my family."

"And who's your family?"

Her eyes widened. "Ya don' know? Everyone in London knows my family."

"Well, obviously I don't," he said with a roll of his brown eyes. "So why don't you tell me?"

"The Darling family," she said, and he stiffened. _Could she really be-_ "My name's Charlotte, again by the way, Charlotte Darling."

"And my name's Peter," he tried to joke as his mind went crazy from the fact that the one girl he'd been searching for all these years was standing right in front of him.

She stared at him skeptically. "That's it? Just Peter?"

He nodded. "Just Peter."

"No last name?"

"I don't think you're ready for it yet, Charlie," he told her with a wink. She stared at him for a moment and his expression faltered. "What? Is something wrong?"

"No one's ever called me Charlie before . . . I kinda like it."

"Well I'm glad," he replied with a grin. "Mind if I ask you a question, then, Charlie?"

"Shoot."

"Are you related to a Molly Darling by any chance?"

Her green eyes narrowed at him. "Yeaaahh . . . She's my grandmother. Why?"

Peter's breath caught. "So she's still alive then?"

Charlie suddenly looked offended. "Why of course she is! She's only 83 years old!"

"Okay, okay. Alright, Charlie, jeez," he said, holding up his hands defensively. "I just wanted to know."

"Why did you want to know, Peter?" she asked.

"She's an old friend," he replied with a shrug.

"But she's older than you," Charlie pointed out.

"Then I'm a younger friend."

"Peter . . ."

He stared at her for a moment then sighed. "Right," he said, "I'll make you a deal, Charlie. You let me meet with your Grandmother, and I'll tell you how I know all about your Peter stories." He stuck out his hand with a mischievous gleam in his chocolate brown eyes. "Deal?"

She regarded him curiously for a moment before shaking his hand. "Alrigh' then. We got a deal."

His eyes cut to the clock. "Well, I've gotta get going now." He turned to leave but a tug on his sleeve had him turning back to look at her. "What?"

"Will I-" She coughed nervously, blushing, and brushed her bangs out of her eyes again. "Will I see ya again, Peter?"

His expression softened. "Later tonight good for you? By old Big Ben?"

Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened, but she quickly pulled herself together. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

He smirked. "I just might be. You interested, Ms. Darling?"

"I just might be, Mr . . ." Her voice trailed off and her brows furrowed in confusion.

"I'll let you know soon enough, yeah?" he told her.

She nodded, smiling. "Yeah. Alrigh'."


	2. chapter two

**Chapter Two**

All Peter could think about on his way back to The Hideout was Charlie. The only Darling girl he'd met since Wendy that had made his heart beat faster.

Yeah, okay, he'd aged a few years since he'd been thirteen that first time he met Wendy and that last night with Molly, so he had more hormones than he'd ever really had before. But dammit all, what was it about Charlie that made him go so crazy that he could barely think? Surely the Lost Boys were going to give him hell when they found out about Charlie (he had to tell them something or they wouldn't let him leave again tonight) but it didn't mean he liked her . . . Did it?

Peter shook his head. No, that couldn't possibly be it. All of a sudden, something cold hit his nose, startling him out of his thoughts, and he looked around to find it snowing. In all his time in Never Never, he had never once seen it snow, so this little weather anomaly never ceased to amaze him. One of his favourite things about this world was that it snowed. And sure, yeah, the seasons didn't change in Never Never, but since the Fairies lived there as well, they saw no point in doing twice the work on their homeland when they'd already changed the seasons on the Mainland. The Fairies would be twice as busy over the year than they usually were, so no one really minded the never-changing weather.

He finally pulled up outside The Hideout and cut the engine. Checking to make sure no one saw him, he wheeled the bike onto the secret ramp he'd made and brought it inside the abandoned shack they all called home. Well, home for now, at least.

"Hey, blockheads," he shouted, "I'm back!"

Thundering footsteps sounded above his head and various different voices shouted out.

"Peter's back!"

"He's here!"

"Peter's home!"

Of course, thirteen-year-old Slightly was the first one down the wooden stairs, holding onto his fox flapper hat with one hand as he took the steps two at a time, his skater-boyish blond hair bouncing, his bright blue eyes shining at the sight of his leader.

"Peter!" he cried happily. "Where ya been, man? We've been waitin' ages!"

"Yeah," nine-year-old Nibs said as he came barreling into the room, his rabbit-eared cap bouncing. "Curly ate all the lunch while we were, too."

"I did not!" chubby and bear-like, eleven-year-old Curly retorted as he came slowly down the stairs, six-year-old Tootles and the eight-year-old Twins behind him.

"Good thing I'm taking all a' ya blockheads out for lunch, then, huh?" Peter laughed. "I've got some money so come'on, let's get outta here!"

"Yeah!" the Boys cheered happily, grinning.

Peter grabbed Tootles and swung the little boy up onto his shoulders. "Hang on tight, Tootles!"

He laughed happily and grabbed onto Peter's hair, making the older boy wince. It stung Peter's heart that his littlest Lost Boy hadn't spoken since they'd lost Wendy and Jane, but he understood. They'd all had their own ways of coping when they'd learned of Jane and Wendy's deaths, and not speaking had been Tootles' way.

"Where d'ya boys wanna eat, anyways?" he asked.

"McDonald's!" a chorus of shouts sounded, and Peter laughed, shaking his head.

It was always McDonald's with them.

* * *

"So, who exactly was that guy you met at the library?" one of Charlie's best friends, Donovan Chen, asked curiously.

"Yeah, who was he?" his little sister Julie asked, still trying to get the red face paint from her Tiger Lily costume off.

"Well, uh-" she began.

"He was really kinda familiar," her fourteen-year-old cousin, Susan Darling, said, the octopus head from her costume tucked under her arm, causing quite a few stares in her direction.

"Oh, oh, oh!" James Carter, suddenly exclaimed, his Smee cap slipping off his head as he jumped ahead ahead and walked backward. "You know who he reminded me of?"

"Who?" they all asked.

"Peter Pan! From the stories! He reminds me of Peter Pan!"

Her friends started talking all at once.

"Ohmigosh, yes!" Susan cried. "I can totally see that!"

"He's even got the same name!" Julia said in amazement.

Donovan shrugged, hands in his pockets. "I guess he does kinda remind me of Peter Pan . . ." he admitted.

"We didn't even see his hair, guys, so how can you think he looks like Peter?" Charlie said with a laugh. "He was wearing a cap the whole time he was there!"

"Oh come on, Char," Susan said with a grin, bumping their shoulders. "You've got a thing for the guy. Admit it. You've never met a guy like him who knows anything and everything about the Peter stories like you do-without being born into our family, at least."

"He wants ta meet my grandmother," she blurted stupidly.

Donovan stared at his best friend. "Really? Why?"

Charlie shrugged. "Says they're old friends. How do I know?"

"We'll ask 'er when we get back ta the house, then, yeah?" Susan said. "I'm kinda curious wether Grandmother knows him now or not."

"Me too. An' I planned on doing tha', Suzie, don' worry."

There was suddenly a gaggle of shouting up ahead and Donovan groaned. "Don't you hate it when people just let their kids go crazy out in public?" he grumbled. They stared at him. "What?"

Charlie laughed and wrapped an arm around his neck. "You're growing up too fast, Donny, slow down now."

"Well I do!" he exclaimed, making everyone laugh.

"Quit it, ya blockheads!" a voice suddenly shouted, causing Charlie to stop in her tracks.

"Char, what's up?" Donovan asked instantly.

Charlie couldn't respond, all she could see was the guy from the library, Peter, surrounded by a group of boys and one little boy on his shoulders. They were all heading for the McDonald's up ahead, big smiles on their faces.

"Come'on, Timmy, you're pulling my hair," Peter laughed, swatting playfully at the little boy on his shoulders, making the other boys around him laugh too.

"Peter?" Charlie gasped, and Susan got a knowing look on her face as they all looked over in that direction.

"Go on, Char, go an' get 'im," Julie said encouragingly, and both she and Susan gave her a slight push forward.

Shooting her friends a dark look, she took a deep breath and, gathering all her courage, waved her hand and shouted, "Hey, Peter!"

All of the boys froze and, when Peter's eyes found hers, they widened in surprise. "H-Hey, Charlie, what-what's up?" he stammered with a wave.

The boys around him clammered to tackle Peter to the ground, shooting questions at the older boy like rapid fire.

"Who is she, Peter?" a boy with a bear hat said, grinning wildly.

"Yeah, where'd ya meet her?" a blond boy with blue eyes and fox flapper hat crooned.

"She's pretty!" two twin boys wearing raccoon caps chorused.

"She reminds me of Wen-" a boy with rabbit ears began.

"Shut it," Peter hissed, cutting the boy off, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "Or I'll make ya sleep outside in the snow tonight."

"Aww, you wouldn't do that-" one twin began.

"-you love us, Peter," the other finished.

Peter rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure I do."

Charlie jogged forward a bit until she was in front of him. "Care to introduce me, Peter?" she asked with a grin.

"These are my brothers." Charlie's eyebrows shot up as Peter ruffled the head of the boy with the fox cap. "This is Sam-"

"Hey! Watch the hair!"

"-and he's thirteen." He clapped a hand on bear boy's shoulder. "This is Al."

"I'm eleven," the boy said proudly.

"Over here is Robby." Peter gave a tug on one of rabbit boy's ears. "He's-what're you, nine?"

"Of course I am, numbskull! Do I look eight or ten to you?" Robby exclaimed, looking offended.

Peter shook his head with a laugh. "And over there are The Twins, Carl and Eddie."

"Hiya!" they both chimed.

"An' wha's your name?" Charlie asked with a soft smile, wiggling the foot of the little boy on Peter's shoulders. He giggled but didn't reply.

"Oh him?" Sam said with a crook of his thumb. "That's Timmy. He don't speak much. Not since two of our friends died."

"Tha's alrigh'. People cope with death in lot's of different ways," she said. "I know when my cousin, John Michael, died in a car crash a year ago, I didn't talk to anyone for days. He was my best friend an' the closest in the family ta my age. He knew everythin' abou' the Peter Pan stories jus' like I did an' we actually started doing the Peter plays an' stuff for the kids at the library together. So when he died . . . I didn't wan' his memory ta die with our storytelling, so I continued an' became Peter like he'd been."

She blinked rapidly and her breath caught at the vision of Peter holding the handkerchief out to her; she hadn't realized she'd been crying.

"Don't cry," he said softly.

"Yeah," Sam said sadly, tugging absently on his hat. "We hate to see girls cry."

"Yeah," the other boys said, and she was surprised when the boys crowded around to hug her. "Don't cry."

"Boys, boys, lay off will ya?" Peter mumbled, trying to pry them off of her. "Don't wanna freak her out do ya?"

Charlie laughed. "Not freaked out," she said. "Not at all. Slightly flattered, yes, but not at all freaked out."

Peter smiled, making her heart skip a beat.

"Hey, ya know wha' you boys remind me of? With your animal caps an' all?" she said, and they stared at her curiously. "The Lost Boys!"

"Slightly, at your service, madame," Sam said with a grin and a bow.

"Curly here!" Al said.

"Nibs!" Robby exclaimed happily, his rabbit ears bouncing.

Carl and Eddie each wrapped an arm around the other's shoulder and grinned broadly. "The Twins!"

"An' Timmy there is Tootles," Sam told her, pulling the hat off Timmy's head. "See? He's even got the hair for it, too!"

Charlie gasped, staring in shock at the little boy's hair. His hair was black, yes, but his little Mohawk was a white stripe, making him look just like Tootles from the stories had dressed as: a skunk.

"You really are like the Lost Boys," she breathed, eyes wide.

"They like to take their dressing up seriously," Peter said with a awkward laugh.

"_Peter Pan and The Adventures In Neverland_ is our favorite story!" Robby told her with a smile.

"Wendy and Jane's stories are our favorites!" Carl and Eddie exclaimed.

"Peter reads it to us whenever we get homesick. It reminds us of the home we've got waiting for us," Sam said.

"Second star to the right-" Carl began.

"-And straight on 'til morning!" Eddie finished, pumping a fist in the air.

"Yeah!" Peter's brothers shouted.

Robby took off toward the park across the street, arms outstretched to imitate an airplane. "Come'on boys, off to Neverland!"

"Here we go!" the others cried; Al, the Twins, and Timmy following after him.

"Wait, boys, I thought we were getting ice cream!" Peter called after them as they raced.

"They'll be back, Pete, don't worry," Sam chuckled, clapping him on the shoulder. "They still want ice cream."

Peter rolled his eyes, a small smile quirking his lips as he fondly watched the boys across the street.

"Watch this, Peter!" Sam exclaimed, and raced out onto the suddenly busy street.

Peter's eyes went wide. "Sam, what the hell are you doing!"

"Lookit me, Pete! I'm walkin' on the line!" he shouted, arms outstretched above his head as he walked the white line dividing the cars. Several cars whooshed past him and he almost lost his balance.

"Sam, get off the road!" Peter cried. He stood on the curb, waiting for the cars to stop but the busy street didn't look like it was going to let up. His brown eyes were wild-looking as he watched his brother. The other boys were across the street, waving at Sam, trying to get him to come back.

"Quit bein' such a Grown-Up and chill, Pete!"

"Sam!" Charlie shouted. "Just stay where you are! We're gonna have to wait until the cars stop to get you!"

"What?" the boy said with a smile. "I can't hear you!"

Charlie turned to Peter to see him running his hands through his hair, hat in hand. Were those points on his ears? She rubbed her eyes. No . . . it couldn't be.

There was a blaring honk of a horn and Charlie turned slightly to a see a semi-truck barreling down the road. She grabbed Peter's arm and pointed. "Peter!" she cried. "The truck! It's heading right for Sam!"

Peter grabbed fistfulls of his hair. "Shit, shit, shit," he mumbled. "Slightly, come'on, get outta there."

The horn blared again, the driver leaned out the window: "Oi, kid! Move outta the way!"

Suddenly Peter was racing into the street, the big semi hurtling toward him, and Charlie squeezed her eyes shut. The horn blared, there was a screech of tires, and Peter screamed: "Slightly!"


	3. chapter three

**Chapter Three**

Charlie's eyes snapped open but she couldn't see. The semi had swerved and hit a fire hydrant, several cars had crashed, and smoke was everywhere.

"Peter! Sam!" she shouted, pushing through the crowd of people, past the cars, and to the other side of the street. She found them on the side of the road, Sam leaning over Peter, the older boy clutching his arm, his face contorted in pain.

"Peter! Are you alright?" she cried, kneeling down beside him as she and his other brothers rushed up.

"What the hell's wrong with you!" he shouted angrily at Sam, whose eyes were filling with tears. "You blockhead, you could've gotten yourself killed! What were you thinking?"

"Peter, I-I-I'm sorry," Sam cried, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Do you really not care at all what happens to you, Slightly? Huh?" Peter exclaimed angrily. "The same thing that happens back home, happens here, too. How d'you think it would've felt when we finally got back home and we were down one less brother, huh? You're my second, Slight, my best man. I need you to take care of the others when I'm Grown-Up, and you can't do that if you're dead!"

"Pete . . . Pete, man, I'm so sorry. I was just . . . I don't know what I was doing and I'm so sorry!" Sam cried.

Peter struggled to sit up and put a hand on his brother's head. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and his bottom lip trembled. "Just don't scare me like that again, okay, ya knucklehead?" he said with a watery smile.

"Peter, I-I'm s-sorry."

"Come 'ere you cheeky little bastard," Peter mumbled, pulling his brother in for a hug.

Sam wrapped his arms around his brother's waist and hugged him tightly, pressing his tear-stained face into the older boy's neck. "I'm sorry," he sobbed. "I'm sorry, Pete, I'm so sorry."

* * *

"Look's like you might be meeting my grandmother sooner than you thought since you won't let me take you to the hospital for your arm," Charlie told Peter as she led him up the front stairs of her family's house, his brothers following soundlessly behind them.

"I don't have the money to go to the doctor," Peter said with a wince, cradling his arm to his chest.

"Then I guess you're lucky my father's a doctor, huh?" Susan said.

Charlie rolled her eyes at her younger cousin as she tried to dig out her keys from her jacket pocket while keeping Peter on his feet.

"Here, Mac, I go' it," she said, gently taking the keys and opening the door.

"Thanks, Susie. I'm home!" she shouted, pushing open the door once it was unlocked. She helped Peter across the foyer and into the sitting room, stopping at the sight of her family.

Peter grinned nervously at them all. "Um, hi," he said with an awkward wave.

"It's only a sprain," Charlie's uncle said twenty minutes later, adjusting the sling on Peter's arm. "You're a very lucky young man."

"Thank goodness," Peter sighed, relief washing over his face. "But . . . I can still go to work right? I need the money."

"Depends. You need to lay off it for a while to make sure it heals properly."

"Where d'ya work?" Susie asked curiously.

"McDonald's," Peter said.

"The manager there is totally nice," Sam said, snacking on one of the cookies Susie's mother had brought in. "She gives us free food sometimes when we don't have any money."

Peter flushed pink when the adults in the room turned to look at him and there was a sudden barking sound, causing his head to snap over to the door. His face lit up at the sight of the Newfoundland rushing toward him.

"Nana!" he exclaimed happily, surprising everyone. He knelt down and rubbed the dog's ears, laughing when she covered him in slobbery kisses. "Nice to see you, too, Nana. How are you, pretty girl? Been taking good care of everyone, hmm?" Nana licked his face, making him laugh. "I thought so. That's good to hear."

"Peter?" came Charlie's voice.

He turned, blushing furiously at the stares he was given, and his jaw dropped when he saw her. A grin slowly spread on his lips as he got to his feet. "Molly," he said warmly. "Nice to see you again."

The aging woman in front of him looked nothing like the Molly he remembered, but he knew it was her. Her once curly blonde hair was now short and white, reaching to her ears. But her eyes, oh, her eyes were still the most wonderful shade of blue he'd ever seen, just like Wendy's. She was dressed in a white blouse, pink cardigan, black slacks, and slippers.

"Ah, Peter, how nice to see you again," she said fondly. "I see you've grown. You must've been thirteen the last time I saw you, how old are you now?"

"Seventeen."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

He nodded, opening his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Sam's voice. "Molly?" the blond breathed, his blue eyes wide.

Her wrinkled face lit up. "Slightly, how are you?"

"Miss Molly!" he cried happily, rushing forward to give her a hug. "I haven't seen you in _ages_! We've missed you lot's. Guys, look, it's Miss Molly!"

Peter's other brothers came scrambling into the room, shouting over the other as they each tried to talk to Charlie's grandmother.

"Miss Molly, we've missed you so much," Al said. "You were one of the best mothers we had."

"Surely you've had better than me since I left," Molly chuckled.

"Naw," Al said. "We haven't had a mother in a long while, not since you."

"Really?" Molly looked surprised. "Peter? May I speak with you?"

"Of course," he said automatically.

"Alone?" she prompted, and everyone instantly started for the door. Everyone, that is, except Charlie. "Charlotte, sweetheart, you may leave. I can manage on my own, no matter what your father or uncles say."

"But, Granny-"

"Don't you 'But Granny' me, Charlotte Darling," Molly snapped, and Peter ducked his chin to hide a smirk.

"Granny," Charlie sighed impatiently. "How d'ya even know him? How does he know you? I've never heard you talk abou' him before."

"Of course you have. You just don't pay attention to me like you used to."

Charlie's features softened. "Granny, I always listen to you_."_

Molly smiled as she shooed the girl out. "Ohhh, come on now. Leave us be. Let two friends catch up, why don't you?"

"Alrigh', alrigh'. I'll leave you two alone."

* * *

"Granny won't like you doing that."

Charlie jumped away from the door to find Susie on the stairs, smirking at her.

"Bloody hell, Susie," she hissed, "Don't do that! You scared me."

"Good. You shouldn't be snooping on Granny's private conversations anyway."

"I just . . ." Charlie sighed. "I just don't trust him, okay? Something's not right. How does he know Granny? She's never even talked about him. How can we trust this guy?"

"Well, I trust Granny," Susie said. "And her judgement. If she trusts someone I tend to trust them too. You should know that by now."

"I know. _I know__,_" Charlie grumbled. "But that's you. I'm not you, Susie. I need to figure this out."

"Fine, be that way. But don't come to me if you get in trouble with Granny. I'll be up here with Peter's brothers if you change your mind."

Charlie watched her cousin head back up the stairs before placing her ear back against the door.

"-Tink? Is she doing well?" Molly was saying.

"She met a guy named Terrence at the Hollow Tree a couple years ago. They got married last Spring and came over here so the Boys and I could see the ceremony," Peter replied, a certain fondness in his voice. "It was really wonderful. Flowers everywhere. They even found a couple of doves too."

"And you're happy?" Molly asked.

"Tink's my best friend, Molly, of course I am."

"No, Peter, I mean in general. Are you happy?"

"I . . ." The boy's voice faltered and he sighed. "I don't know, honestly. I'm glad the Boys are okay and everything, but all of this is just so hard. I took me ages to find that motorcycle and learn how it worked so I could fix it. Getting the license for it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. And then finding a job to pay for gas and get food and clothes for the Boys . . . This is why I never wanted to leave Never Never, Molly. I didn't want to deal with all the pressure of Growing Up."

"Yes. A lot's changed since those days with Wendy, Jane and Margaret hasn't it?"

"This isn't how things were supposed to go."

Charlie peeked through the doorway just in time to see Peter plop down on the sofa and take off his beanie, dropping his head to his hands. She had to suppress a gasp at the sight of his ears, because it was then that she realized what she'd seen in the street hadn't just been her mind playing tricks-Peter's ears really _were_ pointed.

He ran his hands over his face, tears in his eyes, and Molly sat next to him, gently rubbing his back. "Shh, dear, it's alright."

"I was just supposed to be here to take Charlotte to Never Never but then the Boys ended up following me and . . . I only had enough Dust for me and her. I didn't want to get stuck in London. There's just so many rules, and adults, and things I'm allowed to do, and things I'm _not_ allowed to do." Tears streamed down his cheeks. "I miss Tiger Lily, and Tinkerbell, and even Captain Hook and his crew. I hate it here. I can't stand it. But Tink can only come over to this world at certain times and the amount of dust she's allowed to bring with her keeps dwindling. I barely have enough to get just _half_ of the Lost Boys home."

"Oh, Peter," Molly said, tears in her eyes, and pulled the boy in for a hug. "You'll figure it out, I know you will."

"But I'm already losing hope, and once I turn eighteen I can never go back. You know just as well as I do that Neverland doesn't accept adults."

Charlie suddenly stumbled forward at Peter's declaration, crashing into the sitting room doors, and they flew open as she fell to the floor. Peter and Molly broke apart instantly, the both of them staring at her in shock as she scrambled to her feet. Her head spun as she pointed a trembling finger at Peter.

"You-You're-You're him!" she gasped. "You're Peter! You're Peter Pan!"

Molly quickly moved to shut the doors. "Charlotte, dear, please calm down."

She stumbled away from him, clutching her head. "Peter Pan's in my house," she breathed. "Like, really, _really_ in my house. Bloody hell, someone please tell me this isn't a dream."

"You aren't dreaming," Peter said with a wince. "It really is me."

"But you're older. Why are you older?"

"Didn't you hear enough when you were eavesdropping?" he hissed, and she was surprised at his anger. "I got stuck here and I didn't have enough Pixie Dust to return to Neverland. So because we're not there anymore the Lost Boys and I have started to age."

Charlie's eyes slowly drifted up to the ceiling, hands covering her mouth in awe. "The Lost Boys are in my house and playing with my little brothers upstairs. Bloody hell, this is so awesome!"

"No it's not," Peter said, lip curled in disgust. "I'm not supposed to age, Charlie! And neither are the Boys! Don't you understand the concept of '_stuck__'_ at all? I've been living here for six years now and I still hate it with every fiber of my being. This place can _never_ be my home."

"You've been here in London for six years?"

Peter growled in frustration. "Does everything I say just go straight through one ear and out the other? Because this is getting ridiculous."

"No, but-I just don't understand why you're so angry. You're Peter Pan! You can do anything! You'll think of a way to get back to Neverland and bring me with you!"

"Bloody hell," he snapped. "I'm not Peter Pan anymore!"

Charlie froze, smile faltering. "But-"

"I have a job working at a crappy fast-food place just so I can put food in the Boys bellies. I have a goddamn motorcycle! I don't have Pixie Dust and I can't fly, haven't been able to for years now."

"But I thought the whole point of flying was to believe!"

"Does it look like I had a choice in the matter?" he shouted. "The power of Belief doesn't work for me anymore, Charlie! I stopped four years ago because I can't keep believing when there's no chance of ever getting back to my home. I've got responsibilities now. If we're going to be stuck here for the rest of our lives I have to figure out how to take care of the Boys and make sure they're comfortable. For Christ's Sake we're living in an abandoned building that's rotting under our feet!"

Charlie stared at him. "I-I'm sorry."

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Molly said. "There must be something."

Pain flashed across Peter's face. "How about forgetting I was even here? This was a bad idea." He pushed past her and Molly into the foyer. "Boys! Time to go!" A cacophony of voices shouted back at him and he exclaimed, "I'm not going to tell you twice! We're leaving! _Now!"_

One-by-one the Boys trudged down the stairs, protesting how this wasn't fair, but one look at Peter's face told them it wasn't best to argue right now.

"Peter-"

He didn't even bother to look at her as he opened the front door. "You can forget about meeting me tonight. It's not worth it anymore."

"But-"

The door slammed in her face.


End file.
